This group I’m talking about are those who love to drive, petrolheads to be more precise. Blasting around the continent is their idea of a dream getaway to enjoy some routes through mountain ranges, valleys and other beautiful scenery and also what Europe has to give them in terms of demanding roads.

Even individuals with a ‘rep mobile’ and a European fuel card would enjoy such a trip and although it would be an advantage to take a car that matched the roads, having pretty much any modern car will still be enjoyable.

The following is a small selection of such routes to take that span over a few of Europe’s most break-taking countries.

Nufenen Pass, Switzerland by Andrew and Annemarie

Nufenen Pass

Situated just inside Switzerland and just short of the Italian border is the Nufenen Pass, one of the less used passes in the vicinity, but one of the most enjoyable and testing when it comes to the road ahead.

Going through a mountain range, you’ll experience a smooth, quiet road that gradually ascends through tight 180 degree turns as the range becomes more demanding. For your efforts, you’ll be rewarded with a spectacular lake at the peak where it can pay to make a stop and take it in.

Ruhestein to Oppenau

Sticking with mountain routes, Germany’s Black Forest offers various enthralling driving experiences, with one particular drive in the west between the towns of Ruhestein and Oppeneau.

This route is another great place to enjoy a drive with minimal traffic, whilst being able to race through the various easier corners and test your skills in the more challenging hair-pins. It can get quite steep at times, but offers much better scenery than the Nufenen Pass.

Taking a short cut will allow you to see Lutenbach Falls which is the highlight spectacle during the trip, with the views getting better and better as you get higher within the range.

Stelvio Pass by Kylie & Rob (and Helen)

The Stelvio Pass

One of the more famous routes to take for driving enthusiasts in Europe is the Stelvio Pass, which runs along the border between Switzerland and Italy and is one of the most demanding roads on the continent.

Hair-pin after hair-pin, the pass will invigorate the most experienced drivers, whilst showing a keen beginner what a real road is and will test their perseverance as they either descend or ascend the route that wraps itself around the mountainous geography.

Stelvio as a town has a few hotels to stop at if you want to explore the area further, with many different roads that will offer anybody with the slightest hint of petrol (or diesel) in their blood.

Like I say this is just a small selection of what’s possible and it can be a great way of tying together one large trip, for example, a trip down Route Napoleon could end up on the French Riviera and the likes of Nice or Monaco.

Of course it can be quite expensive to do such a break, but saving some money for the inevitable amounts of fuel you’ll need and some accommodation, it will be entirely worth it if you enjoy your driving.

About the author: Sam writes for European Fuel Cards who offer businesses diesel fuel cards for refuelling in and across Europe. 

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“Dove Cottage”, home of William Wordsworth, near Grasmere, England by Strobilomyces

Slate

As you wander around Ambleside and Keswick, two of the most popular towns with visitors, you will notice that a large number of the buildings are constructed from slate and many more have slate roofs. Indeed the slate cottage is one of the characteristic Lakeland dwellings, featuring on many postcards and is a sought after place to stay – you will notice many bed and breakfasts and holiday lets housed in slate buildings. It is of no coincidence that these slate houses occur so frequently in Lakeland towns and villages; within the surrounding mountains there are deposits of slate, which were mined extensively in days gone by. While there may not be many slate mines still open in the Lake District, you are able to visit that at Honister Pass where you are able to take a guided underground tour and can purchase various slate mementos from the shop there.

Stone

Another typical style of Lakeland house is that of stone, again quarried locally, which has had its walls white limewashed to prevent damp – it does rain considerably in the Lake District, so be prepared when you visit. A good example of this type of home is Dove Cottage in Grasmere (a short drive from Ambleside), which was home to William Wordsworth, one of England’s finest poets. As with many properties, including those let to buy, you will notice that slate also makes an appearance on the roof and chimney stack of this cottage, as well as on the floor of the downstairs rooms. A guided tour of the cottage, including what was Wordsworth’s study, provides details of features in each room and is well recommended.

Times gone by

Following your trip to Grasmere, you might like to drive on to Near Sawrey, to visit the home of another famous literary person from Lakeland, Beatrix Potter. The 17th century farmhouse of Hill Top was bought by Beatrix with some of the money she made from the sale of her first books. Holidays to the Lake District as a child inspired her work and she went on to write many more tales of animals after purchasing Hill Top Farm. The site is now owned by the National Trust and visitors can see the interior, complete with the same furniture and possessions, as when Beatrix lived there until 1943. It is worth spending some time in the grounds, as the cottage garden is full of flowers, herbs and fruits typical of its time. The house and gardens can be considered to be a time capsule of the era.

In harmony

There are many more towns, villages and properties with historical interest that you might wish to visit while in the Lake District, each with its own character and style; those discussed here are merely a selection to get you started. Wherever you choose to go, your journey through Lakeland will demonstrate how well the buildings here blend into the surrounding countryside and this factor certainly contributes to the beauty of the area. Features such as dry stone walls, hedgerows and narrow lanes help with the continuum between settlements and the natural environment, but tight building regulations within the National Park have helped to preserve the landscape.

Claire Harrow regularly travels throughout England visiting the many beautiful historic towns and villages where local buildings often reflect locally available stone and construction techniques and styles that go back generations giving them a truly unique appeal.

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For those who might not know what is it, should be noted that it is a lake of glacial origin. In the Slovak High Tatras there are in a total of 87 glacial lakes, but the most famous one is certainly Štrbské Pleso. It is not the largest or deepest one, nor the highest situated, but it’s just typical.

It lies at the connected point of Furkotská and Mlynická valley at the altitude of 1346.6 metres above sea level. It covers an area of 19.76 hectares and its maximum depth reaches about 20 meters. The lake is almost half of the year covered by ice.

The lakes were created in the Pleistocene by the action of glaciers, which dug them into the valleys. Due to the remoteness and high altitude such lakes have very clean water and are often a home to quite specific types of plants and animals. Štrbské Pleso is home to a fish called European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus). This salmon-like fish is still widespread in many countries, but currently it can be found on the Red List of Threatened Species. It has been found yet, that whitefish from Štrbské Pleso is genetically purest of its kind in the world. The lake is also home to several other species of fish, some of them (especially perch and roach) are unfortunately direct food competitors to whitefish. The management of High Tatras national park therefore prepared a program to capture these fish, to save a rare population of whitefish.

In terms of nature is the human presence on the shores of lake negligibly short, but more intense. The first mention of a lake comes from David Frölich in 1644. Later there came hunters, loggers and miners. A lake has almost ceased to exist in 1860. It was due to the residents of nearby Štrba town, who tried to drain the lake and use that “useless puddle” for new pastures! Fortunately, they didn’t do it well …

The same-name settlement of Štrbské Pleso was founded in 1872, when there was a hunting lodge built by Jozef Szentiványi. Other buildings were then built at the instigation of Hungarian Carpathian Association. At present, a town of Štrbské Pleso is a popular winter and summer resort with many hotels and restaurants, and also serves as a climatic spa centre. With its altitude it is also the highest situated resort in Slovakia. There are lots of opportunities for hiking and skiing, including ski lifts and cable cars to Solisko peak.

Despite its mountainous location, you can get to Štrbské Pleso by both road and rail. The main gate to Štrbské Pleso and High Tatras is the city of Poprad where is an international airport as well.

Whether you come to Štrbské Pleso for hiking or skiing, you will be surely surprised with its beauty and surrounding nature. There are lots of hiking trails leading from this place to several important peaks – Kriváň (2,495 m) or Rysy (2,503 m) or you can visit the great 10 metres high waterfall Skok (1,725 m), or another popular lake Popradské pleso (1,494 m).

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The statue was made by Master Paul of Levoča, who also made the late Gothic altar in the St. James church in Levoča – the highest altar in Europe.

Stratená is the starting point of hiking trails to Stratenská Valley, which is with a meandering stream Hnilec one of the most beautiful valleys in the Slovak Paradise. The first public route in this gorge was built in 1840 with 13 bridges. Short, but the most attractive part of the valley is Stratenský Canyon. Stratenská Valley is accessible for both pedestrians and cyclists. In the village of Stratená there are about 150 residents living now.

You can visit Dobšinská Ice Cave that is just 2km from Stratená, or Dedinky village, the centre of National Park of Slovak Paradise, whith amazing lake and romantic beauty.

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The national park is popular with hikers and mountaineers, but not suitable for beginners. Sarek National Park has no marked trails, no accommodation possibilities.

Sarek National Park was established in 1909 (in this year the first national parks in Europe have been established) and protects nearly 2000 km2 of wilderness.

Sarek National Park is best reached from Kvikkjokk. Another way is by ship from Ritsema on the north side through the lake Akkajaure. Whether you choose any path you will get into absolute wilderness. You will find here more than 100 peaks that are higher than 1,800 meters and over a hundred glaciers.

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Koprova valley is a 12 km long valley with numerous side valleys. It is situated between the Western and High Tatras under the western slopes of the dominant peak Kriváň (one of the Slovak symbol). Koprova valley and the surroundings of the peak Krivan do remember the old mining tradition, especially associated with gold mining activities.

Hiking trails along Koprova valley allow tourists to admire the waterfalls and lakes. It is possible to ascend to the saddles and to the Kôprovský peak. At the lower part of the forested valley, the trail is created alongside the Kôprovský stream.

View Kmeťov waterfall in Kôprova valley – the highest waterfall in Slovakia in a larger map

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Pieniny National Park is one of the smallest Polish National Parks, lying in the southernmost part of the country, on the border with Slovakia. The Pieniny mountain range is divided into three parts:

* Pieniny Spiskie – extends between Dursztyn village and Niedzica, with the highest peak Żar (883 metres above mean sea level (ASL).

* Pieniny Właściwe – extends between Czorsztyn and Szczawnica and culminates with the Okrąglica peak (982 metres ASL) in the Three Crowns massif. By climbing this summit, a splendid, panoramic overview of the vast area can be gained and enjoyed.

* Małe Pieniny – extends between the Dunajec river (in the victinity of Szczawnica) and the Rozdziela pass in the east. The highest peak of Pieniny is the Wysoka mountain (1,050 metres ASL).

The Park’s area is 23.46 km², of which 13.11 km² is forested. One-third (7.5 km²) is strictly protected.

The most attractive part of the mountain range, from both natural and scenic points of view, is the Pieniny Właściwe range. The peaks here are beautifully jagged and the valleys often form rocky gorges. The northern faces slope gently into the valleys; the southern and eastern picturesque limestone cliffs (which are up to 300 metres high) drop down suddenly to the Dunajec river.

Pieniny National Park has its headquarters in the village of Krościenko nad Dunajcem. This national park continues on the Slovakian side of the mountains, called Pieninský národný park.

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The park itself is composed mostly of the Dauphiné Alps, a prominent mountain range that is located just to the south of Grenoble. Écrins National Park covers an area of just over 908 square kilometers of mountains. There are also glacial fields and valleys as well as pastures, woodlands, rivers and lakes.

Écrins National Park in France by Guillaume Baviere

The most prominent mountain peak within the Park is that of the Barre des Ecrins which rises more than 4,102 meters above sea level. However, there are many other mountain peaks that can be found in or around Écrins National Park.

There are many things to see and do in Écrins National Park regardless of the time of year. The glacial fields and valleys are perfect for skiing especially during the wintertime. The rest of the region offers some of the finest summertime recreation available; including hiking, camping as well as canoeing and kayaking. There are number of rivers that can be found throughout the park including the Romanche, Drac as well as the Durance.

Huge waterfall in Écrins National Park, France by Guillaume Baviere

Écrins National Park is important wildlife protection area that has been dedicated to a number of important animal and plant life; some of which is in danger of extinction. Nonetheless, choosing to visit the park is an amazing experience regardless of who you are. The awe-inspiring and picturesque views that are afforded to one who visits Écrins National Park, make the trek worthwhile.

There is a reason why so many people make their way to the Écrins National Park each and every single year. From the natural beauty to the untouched wonders the park has to offer, you could find yourself busy for days on end.

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